The stories coming out from Chicago and Baltimore paint an increasingly pessimistic picture: that America’s inner cities are transitioning into a warzone, where violence has returned to levels not seen since the drug wars of the early 1990s.

Take for example Chicago, five men were killed and at least 20 people shot over the four-day Christmas holiday weekend. Last year, 59 people were shot over the same period, leaving 11 dead.

Across the United States, homicides rose about 9% last year with more than one-third of the increase concentrated in Chicago neighborhoods, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Despite the overall deterioration of American inner cities, there was some improvement in areas such as Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., where declines in violent crimes have been in downward trajectories since the 1990s.

Individuals Encouraged to Submit Comments for Official Inclusion to the EPA

BALTIMORE, MD – Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, joined by Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., Speaker of the House Michael E. Busch and the Maryland General Assembly, announced today that Maryland will hold a hearing on the Trump Administration’s proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan.

The parent of a teen girl who is “transitioning” to become a boy is urging the increasing number of families coping with the radical transgender movement to fight back rather than succumb to its ideology.

“It took us completely by surprise,” Kristie Sisson told Breitbart News in an interview. “Because Danielle had a normal childhood, did all of the typical girl things – from dressing up like the princesses, to playing with dolls, to wearing make-up, perfume, and jewelry.”

Sisson says that, in the fall of 2016, just weeks before her daughter – then a high school senior – told her parents she was going to start to dress like a boy, she had taken her daughter shopping for school clothes, and Danielle had chosen girl’s clothing.

The Sisson family had moved from Long Island, New York, to North Carolina after Danielle completed public middle school. When the family moved to North Carolina, the parents enrolled Danielle in a private high school.

“She did have a hard time adjusting, because she just didn’t fit the mold – she wasn’t the tall, thin, blond like many girls in North Carolina are,” Sisson says. “But that’s not to say she didn’t have friends. I think she was well-liked, but hadn’t found that ‘best’ friend.”More here

The single most important chart for understanding the current state of the US financial system is the following:

US Gross Domestic Product vs. US Total Debt Securities, Trillions US Dollars (1945-2016).

In simple terms, the above chart reveals that once the US abandoned the Gold Standard completely in 1971, the amount of debt in the US financial system skyrocketed relative to the real economy.

As a result of this, by the time the mid-1990s rolled around, debt levels in the US financial system had become a systemic risk: with this much leverage in the system, even a brief bout of debt deflation (when debt markets deflate) would induce a systemic crisis.

If you don’t believe me, consider that the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, the one during which everyone thought the world was ending, was the small “dip” in the dashed line in the chart above.

Because of this, the US Central Bank, called the Federal Reserve or “the Fed,” has resorted to intentionally creating bubbles in various asset classes in order to keep the financial system solvent.

Cuomo, a Democrat, praised himself on Twitter for his compassion, before linking to a New York Times article supporting the move. Cuomo claimed the federal government is “tear[ing] families apart” with the current immigration policy and felt he was taking the “critical step” to defend those who were unfairly targeted.

While the federal government continues to target immigrants and threatens to tear families apart with deportation, these actions take a critical step toward a more just, more fair and more compassionate New York. https://t.co/QK1lzhMgfg

A man in Georgia was arrested earlier this month after allegedly pulling a gun on Burger King employees who were taking too long to prepare his family’s order.

According to a police report obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, on Dec. 23 Emanjula Daracus Brown, along with his wife and three kids, went into the Burger King in Lawrenceville, Ga., and he became “irate” while waiting for his food, employees said.

Workers added that Brown and his wife threw drinks at the staff, and that Brown ultimately drew a gun on them before driving away with his family.

When police caught up to Brown and pulled him over, he claimed that he was only acting in self-defense.

Roy Moore, who lost a U.S. Senate race in a shocker after being accused of child molestation and other forms of sexual misconduct, has filed a lawsuit to try to stop Alabama from certifying Democrat Doug Jones as the winner.

Moore's attorney wrote in the complaint filed late Wednesday that he believed there were irregularities during the election and said there should be a fraud investigation and eventually a new election.

'This is not a Republican or Democrat issue as election integrity should matter to everyone,' Moore said in a statement released Wednesday announcing the complaint.

'We call on Secretary of State Merrill to delay certification until there is a thorough investigation of what three independent election experts agree took place: election fraud sufficient to overturn the outcome of the election.'

'The purpose of the complaint is to preserve evidence of potential election fraud and to postpone the certification of Alabama's Special Election by Secretary of State John Merrill until a thorough investigation of potential election fraud, that improperly altered the outcome of this election,' the statement said.

The complaint also contains an affidavit from Moore 'stating that he successfully completed a polygraph test confirming the representations of misconduct made against him during the campaign are completely false.'More here

A Maryland county’s refusal to cooperate with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) may have led to an alleged MS-13 gang member’s death two days after he was released from jail.

Jose Herrera, 18, was initally arrested and charged in October by the Montgomery County Police Department with fourth-degree burglary and trespassing after he was found squatting in a vacant home with others believed to be members of the ruthless MS-13 gang, WJLA reported.

The gang reportedly took the vacated home and made it into a “hideout with graffiti, a built-in bar and shrine to the ‘Saint of Death,’” NBC Washington reported. The home was scheduled to be demolished in order to pave the way for the Purple Line rail project.

As a reminder, this is what President Trump is upset about, according to South Korea's Chosun Ilbo, U.S. recon satellites have photographed around 30 illegal transactions involving Chinese vessels selling oil to North Korea on the West Sea in October. The images allegedly showed large Chinese and North Korean ships transacting in oil in a part of the West Sea closer to China than South Korea. The satellite pictures even showed the names of the ships.

The 77th Precinct officers, identified by sources as Wael Jaber and Wing Hong Lau, were initially dispatched to the Crown Heights home of Tonie Wells, 22, Wednesday morning — before her body was found and her husband was arrested for her death.

Jaber and Lau — who have both been on the force for about a decade — responded to the three-story Sterling Place brownstone after the victim’s sister called 911 to report that Wells was “scared” of her husband, Barry Wells, 29, because he was “acting funny,” sources have said.

Life expectancy in the US fell again for the second year in a row in 2016, meaning Americans' lives are about three years shorter than those of people in 34 similarly wealthy countries, according to the latest data.

Not so long ago, the reverse was true: Americans lived to be 73.9 in 1979, while people in the other countries in world's highest wealth bracket, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), lived to be 72.3 on average.

The flip, recent research suggests, can be traced to the trajectories of changes to healthcare policies in these rich nations.

As other countries expand their social welfare programs to create more equal access, the US offers fewer benefits than any other economically-similar nation and the income inequality gap continues to grow.

Over the past couple of months, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have experienced a tremendous surge in popularity. Personally, I was completely floored the other day when my nephew wanted to ask me questions about investing in Bitcoin. It seems like the whole world is getting caught up in the cryptocurrency revolution, and needless to say, the powers that be cannot be thrilled about this. Independently-controlled cryptocurrencies represent an existential threat to the global debt-based central banking system that we have today, and so the elite have a very strong incentive to bring about the demise of Bitcoin and other emerging cryptocurrencies.

So it is no surprise that one of the key mouthpieces for the elite, the Washington Post, has begun to demonize Bitcoin. And if you are going to demonize something, one of the fastest ways to do that is to link it with racists. The following is an excerpt from an article that the Post just published entitled “Bitcoin’s Boom Is A Boon For Extremist Groups”…

Even before Charlottesville, Richard Spencer, a prominent member of the alt-right, a group that espouses racist, anti-Semitic and sexist views and seeks a whites-only state, had gone as far as declaring bitcoin “the currency of the alt right.” But far-right political leaders and experts on extremist movements alike say the adoption of bitcoin gained new urgency after Charlottesville as extremists looked for ways to operate beyond the reach of government control and the shifting policies of U.S. tech companies.

For those of us that are accustomed to thinking critically, we see right through what the Washington Post is trying to do. The Bitcoin phenomenon has absolutely nothing to do with Richard Spencer and his ilk, but every time the liberal elite want to demonize someone or something they trot out their favorite boogeyman once again.

Just like every other currency, Bitcoin can be used for good purposes or for bad purposes. But the Washington Post article would have us believe that Bitcoin is at the core of some great “racist conspiracy” that is about to take America by storm…

Subfreezing temperatures and wind chills can be dangerous and even life-threatening for people who don't take the proper precautions. It is important for everyone to monitor their local weather reports and take steps now to stay safe, whether traveling or at home, during times of extreme cold temperatures. During cold weather, you should take the following precautions:

 Stay indoors as much as possible and limit your exposure to the cold;

 Dress in layers and keep dry;

 Check on family, friends, and neighbors who are at risk and may need additional assistance;

 Know the symptoms of cold-related health issues such as frostbite and hypothermia and seek medical attention if health conditions are severe.

 Bring your pets indoors or ensure they have a warm shelter area with unfrozen water.

 Make sure your vehicle has an emergency kit that includes an ice scraper, blanket and flashlight – and keep the fuel tank above half full.

 If you are told to stay off the roads, stay home. If you must drive, don’t travel alone; keep others informed of your schedule and stay on main roads.

Two professors from San Diego State University claim in a new book that farmers’ markets in urban areas are weed-like “white spaces” responsible for oppression.

Pascale Joassart-Marcelli and Fernando J Bosco are part of an anthology released this month titled “Just Green Enough.” The work, published by Routledge, claims there is a correlation between the “whiteness of farmers’ markets” and gentrification.

“Farmers’ markets are often white spaces where the food consumption habits of white people are normalized,” the SDSU professors write, the education watchdog Campus Reform reported Wednesday.

The geology professors claim that 44 percent of San Diego’s farmers’ markets cater to “households from higher socio-economic backgrounds,” which raises property values and “[displaces] low-income residents and people of color.”More here

OCEAN CITY — The Town of Ocean City is offering a handful of free events to help ring out 2017 and ring in 2018 with family-friendly offerings on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Winterfest of Lights turned 25 this year and the town marked the anniversary with new and improved light displays, an upgraded Winterfest of Lights Pavilion and a new Christmas tree at Northside Park at 125th Street. The 2017 event will culminate on Sunday with a variety of family-friendly events including the Winterfest of Lights New Year’s Eve celebration. Sponsored in part by Coca-Cola, the celebration will mark the dawn of a new year with a fireworks display set to music which will begin promptly at midnight on Sunday.

However, the fun starts far before the midnight fireworks show with live music, character actors, giveaways and other family-friendly events. The last Winterfest Express tram will leave the station at 11:30 p.m. for one last time in 2017. Leading up to the last tram ride and the fireworks show, DJ Kutt will keep the energy flowing with giveaways, family games, caricature pictures, hot chocolate and other refreshments all in the heated Winterfest Pavilion.

Love her or hate her, you can’t deny the power that is Tomi Lahren. More than 2,000 students rose to their feet to cheer on and welcome Lahren to Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit in West Palm Beach last week. Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of TPUSA, and Lahren met at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2014 and have joined forces ever since.

“He’s been on my show several times and I’ve done his events, too. It’s a great partnership — partners in crime. Taking over the world is what we’re doing,” Lahren told Red Alert Politics in an exclusive interview, moments before taking the stage in West Palm Beach.

The two young conservatives are mobilizing millennials through activism on college campuses across America and social media, spreading the ideas of free-market capitalism, individual liberty, and limited government.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2018 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2018, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

54.5 cents for every mile of business travel driven, up 1 cent from the rate for 2017.

18 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, up 1 cent from the rate for 2017.

14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.

The business mileage rate and the medical and moving expense rates each increased one cent per mile from the rates for 2017. The charitable rate is set by statute and remains unchanged. The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs.

Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates. More information may be found at IRS.gov.

In Norfolk,Va. the YWCA South Hampton Roads's crisis counselors have been answering calls on a 24-hour hotline that serves the region in southeast Virginia. They help victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and related types of abuse find shelter, counseling, and other services.

"[We're hearing from] people who were recently sexually assaulted, people just wanting to process a harassment issue, or people who experienced it a long time ago and were maybe triggered from the recent social media stuff," says Nicole Nordan, the counseling program director.

Nordan says calls normally slow down around the holidays and in the colder months, but not this year.

As more victims of sexual harassment and assault continue to come forward in the wake of the "Me Too" movement, organizations like the YWCA and rape crisis groups that provide support to survivors are finding themselves unusually busy. They are feeling the ripple effects of the recent wave of allegations against high-profile men in media, entertainment, and other industries.

The great political surprise of 2018 will be the size of the Republican victory.

After members of the elite media have spent two years savaging President Trump, lying about Republican legislation, and reassuring themselves that Republican defeat was inevitable, the size of the GOP victory in 2018 will be an enormous shock.

Casselman contends that the Democratic victory in Alabama may have blocked a year-long embarrassment and actually strengthened Republican prospects in the Senate. He asserts there may be a new political wave coming, but no one knows whether it will be a red or blue wave.

As I listened to the end of the year "analysts," I was struck by how little they know, how little they have questioned their own mistakes, and how mutually reinforcing their false information has been.

These are not analysts. These are liberal propagandists. Much of what they assert is just plain wrong. Fake news is, sadly, an accurate term. And the topic about which they have been the most fake is the GOP’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Republican Roy Moore filed a lawsuit to try to stop Alabama from certifying Democrat Doug Jones as the winner of the U.S. Senate race.

The court filing occurred about 14 hours ahead of Thursday's meeting of a state canvassing board to officially declare Jones the winner of the Dec. 12 special election. Jones defeated Moore by about 20,000 votes.

Moore's attorney wrote in the complaint filed late Wednesday that he believed there were irregularities during the election and said there should be a fraud investigation and eventually a new election.

"This is not a Republican or Democrat issue as election integrity should matter to everyone," Moore said in a statement released Wednesday announcing the complaint.

Republicans are threatening to go after the state funding of the University of Wisconsin at Madison over a new course that examines the Problem of Whiteness.

Unless the course is cancelled, state Republicans include Rep. Dave Murphy have been putting his staffers to work on eyeballing the other courses offered at the state-funded school to check if they’re “legit.” Rep. Murphy says that he doesn’t want to be involved in the management of the post secondary institution, he still believes that the professor responsible for outlining and teaching the course should be revealed of his job.

Google is working with select hotels to stifle competition, which is making travel more expensive for consumers, according to a report.

In their report, the Wall Street Journal explained how consumers are being stopped by Google from seeing “the lowest price deals.”

“More than 100 million Americans are expected to travel during the holidays, and many will search for lodging online. But travelers may unknowingly pay more and fail to see all of their options because some major hotels have ganged up with Google to undercut competition,” reported the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, adding that online travel agencies (OTAs) “like Expedia, Priceline and Travelocity have replaced brick-and-mortar agents by offering consumers more choice and convenience at a lower price.”

“As hotels get squeezed by Airbnb and home rental sites, they have begun complaining that OTAs are eating into their profits. Several major hotels are now trying to use Google as a counterweight, while Google is exploiting its search dominance to steer consumers to its travel service,” they declared.More here

We all know you have to be corrupt to get rich in politics. The president is given $400,000 a year and the low end salary for Congress is below $200,000 a year. This isn’t poverty by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s not wealthy either. This is why the Donald was so intriguing to me, as he was already a billionaire by the time he ran. He didn’t need the corruption to get rich.

In 2014, the Supreme Court struck down a law that effectively said how many political candidates any one person could donate to. Of course, the sky was falling, or millions of people would die, or we were pushing granny off of cliff, if this were to happen. In court, anti-freedom leftist politicians and lawyers said it would create “Joint Fundraising Committees” that would allow single donors to donate millions of dollars at one time and these JFC would rotate the funds through other action committees until the politician in question actually received the money, effectively bypassing the law. The Supreme Court said this would still be illegal, so no, the sky would not be falling that day.

The great irony, it turns out, is this is exactly what Hillary Clinton was doing all along. Fox News reported the Democrat National Committee and their ilk as “us[ing] state chapters as straw men to circumvent campaign donation limits and launder(ing) the money back to her campaign.”

The “Hillary Victory Fund” solicited six figure donations, which are illegal, and then rerouted them through state Democrat party funds and the DNC and others like that which finally ended up in the Clinton campaign fund. It is estimated that $84 million was laundered in this manner. But don’t worry, if you’re a Republican, you’ll go to jail for this kind of thing.

Sinclair Broadcasting Group, America’s largest television station owner, announced Friday that they will join a slew of other large U.S. companies in using the savings from the just-passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to give employees bonuses.

Almost 9,000 Sinclair employees will get $1000 bonuses, according to an accompanying press release.

“We are grateful to our President and legislature for passing the landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and are excited about the benefits it will provide for our country’s economy, our Company, and our employees,” Sinclair Broadcasting President and CEO Chris Ripley said in the press release. “We recognize that our employees are our most valuable resource, truly appreciate their combined achievements for our Company and look forward to a very bright future.”

Sinclair has become something of a bogeyman to the left-leaning press over reports some of its owners and managers are supporters of President Donald Trump and are choosing to broadcast content not sufficiently critical of the administration. New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman, for example, has sounded the alarm this summer that “Sinclair really wants to build the future of a conservative media empire” as they entered talks with ousted conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly.

ISIS has lost 98 percent of the territory it once held -- with half of that terror group's so-called "caliphate" having been recaptured since President Trump took office less than a year ago, U.S. military officials said Tuesday.

The massive gains come after years of "onerous" rules, when critics say the Obama administration “micromanaged” the war and shunned a more intensive air strategy that could have ended the conflict much sooner.

“The rules of engagement under the Obama administration were onerous. I mean what are we doing having individual target determination being conducted in the White House, which in some cases adds weeks and weeks,” said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, the former head of U.S. Air Force intelligence. “The limitations that were put on actually resulted in greater civilian casualties.”

Boston-area businessman Finny Kuruvilla, who founded Sattler, appeared on "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday to preview the new school.

“The modern educational system is too expensive, it’s academically weak and it’s hostile to faith,” Kuruvilla said. “These institutions are very resistant to change, and so we decided to create our own college in Boston, Massachusetts.”

He pointed out that the average student, after four years of college, is worse off when it comes to issues like pornography addiction, drug use, cheating and promiscuity. He wants Sattler to “focus on the whole person,” rather than just on GPA or college transcripts.More

In 2017, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews facilitated the immigration of 5,600 immigrants from 27 countries to Israel, a 25-percent increase from its 2016 numbers, according to a press release reported in The Jerusalem Post.

"Thanks to our millions of Christian friends in the U.S. and in countries from Brazil to South Korea, we are playing an increasingly active role in bringing new immigrants to their Jewish homeland," said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein in the press release, The Jerusalem Post reported.

A nine-year-old boy in Kokomo, Indiana, pointed a pellet gun at a suspect’s head and stopped an alleged carjacking the day after Christmas.

According to WTHR, Kevin Cooksey pulled up to the One Stop Express and went inside, but he left his son, Larry Larimore, in the truck with the vehicle running. Looking at the truck from inside the store, Cooksey noticed that his door had been opened and became nervous. He said, “When I saw my truck door open, I was like, ‘oh my God, what am I going to tell my wife?’”

It turns out that a man allegedly attempting to steal the vehicle opened Cooksey’s door, but the theft was stopped when young Larimore pulled his BB gun and pointed it at the suspect’s head..

Officers are currently investigating a theft that occurred at WaWa early this morning and are seeking the public's assistance. If you recognize the female pictured below please notify Sergeant Yeager: Ayeager@oceancitymd.gov, (410) 520-5333.

The teens initially were charged with the juvenile equivalent of felonious assault.

Marquise Byrd, 22, died Friday at a hospital.

The driver of the car, who has not been identified, suffered minor injuries.

The Warren, Michigan, father of a one-year-old boy was sitting in the front passenger seat of a car traveling south on Interstate 75 in Toledo when a sandbag smashed through the windshield on December 19.

Children who are extreme picky eaters may have an eating disorder that puts them at a higher risk for depression and anxiety.

A child who is underweight, eats less than 20 types of foods and gets anxious around food may suffer from avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), the second most common eating disorder in children under 12.

The anxiety and fear ARFID sufferers experience around new food can cause social limitations, such as the inability to eat at a friend's house or go to a birthday dinner, which can lead to depression and other eating disorders.

A registered nutritionist revealed to Daily Mail Online her method for combating picky eaters in a program she runs called Picky Eater Rehab.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - As tax filing season approaches, the Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers that there are things they should do now to get ready for filing season. Here are some tips to get ready:

For most taxpayers, Dec. 31 is the last day to take actions that will affect their 2017 tax returns. For example, charitable contributions are deductible in the year made. Donations charged to a credit card before the end of 2017 count for the 2017 tax year, even if the bill isn't paid until 2018. Checks to a charity count for 2017 as long as they are mailed by the last day of the year.

Taxpayers over age 70 ½ are generally required to receive payments from their individual retirement accounts and workplace retirement plans by the end of 2017, though a special rule allows those who reached 70 ½ in 2017 to wait until April 1, 2018, to receive them.

Most workplace retirement account contributions should be made by the end of the year, but taxpayers can make 2017 IRA contributions until April 18, 2018. For 2018, the limit for a 401(k) is $18,500. For traditional and Roth IRAs, the limit is $6,500 if age 50 or older and up to $15,500 for a Simple IRA for age 50 or older.

Taxpayers should be careful not to count on getting a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying other financial obligations.

Taxpayers who have moved should tell the U.S. Postal Service, employers and the IRS. To notify the IRS, mail IRS Form 8822, Change of Address, to the address listed on the form’s instructions.

For taxpayers who purchase health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace, they also should notify the Marketplace when they move out of the area covered by their current plan.

For name changes due to marriage or divorce, notify the Social Security Administration so the new name will match IRS and SSA records. Also notify the SSA if a dependent's name changed. A mismatch between the name shown on your tax return and the SSA records can cause problems in the processing of a return and may even delay a refund.

Some refunds cannot be issued before mid-February. By law, the IRS cannot issue refunds before mid-February for tax returns that claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit. The IRS expects the earliest EITC/ACTC related refunds to be available in taxpayer bank accounts or on debit cards starting on Feb 27, 2018, if they chose direct deposit and there are no other issues with the tax return.

Some Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers must be renewed. Any Individual Taxpayer Identification Number not used on a tax return at least once in the past three years will expire on December 31, 2017. Additionally, all ITINs issued before 2013 with middle digits of 70, 71, 72 or 80 (Example: 9XX-70-XXXX) will also expire at the end of the year. As a reminder, ITINs with middle digits 78 and 79 that expired in 2016 can also be renewed. Only taxpayers who need to file a U.S. federal tax return or are claiming a refund in 2018 must renew their expired ITINs. Affected ITIN holders can avoid delays by starting the renewal process now.Those who fail to renew before filing a return could face a delayed refund and may be ineligible for some important tax credits. More information, including answers to frequently asked questions is available on IRS.gov/ITIN.

Keeping copies of tax returns is important. Taxpayers may need a copy of their 2016 tax return to make it easier to fill out a 2017 tax return. Some taxpayers using a software product for the first time may need to provide their 2016 Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI, to e-file their 2017 tax return.

Taxpayers who do not have a copy of their 2016 return and are existing users can log in to IRS.gov/account if they need their AGI. Otherwise the IRS will mail a Tax Return Transcript if requested online or by calling 800-908-9946. Plan ahead. Allow five to 10 days for delivery. Visit the IRS' website to learn more about identification verification and electronically signing tax returns.

The crewmember was removed from the ship and transported back to Station Annapolis, where he was taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center via ambulance.

"The communication and cooperation between our fellow life-saving agencies in cases like this one helped us conduct a timely response,” said Seaman Colt Coffman, coxswain for the case. “The vessel also maintained good radio communication on Channel 16, which kept us well aware of their location and the situation throughout the medevac.”

NORFOLK, VA— As 2017 comes to an end, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the Outbound Enforcement Team at the Port of Norfolk intercepted and recovered nine stolen vehicles bound for Africa since December 1st.

The vehicles were all to be exported from the Norfolk seaport with a majority destined for West African countries. The stolen autos recovered included a variety of high priced makes and models such as a 2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2017 Infinity QX80 and a 2018 Mercedes GLE. Since October 1, the CBP Norfolk Outbound team seized a total of 16 vehicles making the overall value of the stolen automobiles in three months over $691,000 dollars.

“We work with various federal, state and local law enforcement authorities to ensure unauthorized exports are not allowed to leave the country,” said Mark J. Laria, CBP Area Port Director. “CBP is the last line of defense in the export control process, and we do use our authority to inspect, search, detain and seize goods being exported illegally or without proper authorization.”

The recovered vehicles will be turned over to Virginia State Police Special Agents who will return the vehicles to their rightful owners.

Lewes - The Delaware State Police are currently investigating the thefts of multiple packages from front porches in which both suspects have now been arrested.

The incident occurred at approximately 4:20 p.m., Wednesday, December 20, 2017, in the 21000 block of Acorn Way, Oakwood Village at Lewes, as a suspect was observed running up to a front porch, removing packages, and then fleeing in a white Kia Optima. Through investigative measures, the suspect identified as 55-year-old Mary E. Murphyof Lewes was arrested on Felony Theft, Theft, Tampering With Physical Evidence, Falsifying Business Records, Hindering Prosecution, Conspiracy 3rd, Criminal Mischief, and two counts of Criminal Trespass 3rd. Murphy was arraigned out of Justice of the Peace Court 3 and released on $3351.00 unsecured bond.

The second suspect in this case has been identified as 32-year-old Derek J. Rice of Lewes. Through investigative measures, it was discovered on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 that Rice was at Murphy's residence located in the 22000 block of Dogwood Lane, Angola by the Bay. As Troopers approached the residence, Rice attempted to flee and was subsequently taken into custody without further incident. Rice was arrested on Felony Theft, Tampering With Physical Evidence, Theft, Falsifying Business Records, Hindering Prosecution, Conspiracy 3rd, Criminal Mischief, and two counts of Criminal Trespass 3rd. Rice was arraigned out of Sussex County Court of Common Pleas and released on $3450.00 unsecured bond.

Murphy was also arrested again on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 for Noncompliance of Bond Conditions and Hindering Prosecution. She was arraigned out of Sussex County Court of Common Pleas and released on $2000.00 unsecured bond.

The investigation remains ongoing and any other individuals who may have been a victim are asked to please contact Troop 7 at 302-644-5020. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware crime stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at http://www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com

PITTSVILLE – A walk-through Christmas lights display in Pittsville marked its 20th and final year of operation this week.

Since the 1990s, homeowners Bill and Ginger Morrison have welcomed community members onto their Parker Place property each Christmas for a free, walk-through holiday display that features lights, decorations, figurines, hot chocolate, popcorn and appearances by Santa.

While the number of lights and visitors has grown over the years, the homeowners have announced that this year’s display – known to many as Christmas at Parker Place – would be its last.

Bill said he and his wife purchased their Pittsville home in 1990 and for the first few years would string lights around the windows, banisters and other outdoor areas. All of that changed, however, soon after the family took a trip to Disney in the mid-1990s.